Joint between vehicle tops and windshields



Sept. 7,-1926. 'v 1,598,976

H. J. M GRAIL JOINT BETWEEN VEHICLE TOPS AND WINDSHIELDS Filed Junej '23 1923 Patented Sept. 7, 192%.

HUGH J. MCGRAIL, OF FLINT, IVIICHIGi-ilil',

orrics.

TU GENERAL MIOTOR$ CORPORA- assrelvon 'IION, 0F DETROIT, IvIICEz-TIGAN, A CGBPORATION OF DELAKVARE.

JOINT BETWEEN I VEHICLE-TOPS AND VIINDSHIELDS.

Application filed. June 23, 1923. Serial 2T0. 647,280.

This invention relates to vehicles and is illustrated as embodied in an automobile having an improved wind-tight joint between the top and windshield. An object of the invention is to provide a joint of this character or? a pleasing finished appearance which will not interfere with manipulation of the windshield, and which will have no 'overlapping flaps orothcr expensive special joint members, and will not int rtere with a windshieldwiper or other implement mounted on the windshield.-

From this point o1": view the invention may be regarded as comprising a joint between the topand the top edge of the which shield which includes; a member herein referred to as atop visor panel, which is held yieldingly compressed against the top edge of the windshield andwhich is securedto the top. In a preferred form this member is carried by the front'how, if the top is collapsible, and extends rearwardly over the top, edge of the windshield and is provided with yielding'material which is compressed against the windshield. The material may be held so compressed by any suitable means such as the usual clamps which fasten the front bow and the windshield together at opposite sides.

This top visor f panel carried by the front bow is preferably a resilient piece of sheet metal having a channel asfdescribed, but may be of wood the channel be filled with yielding material retaine'd in place byan encircling flexible cover. Howevr, a joint which is satisfactory from'most points of view can be secured by omitting the yielding material and displacing the flexible cover into the channel, as permitted by its elasticity.

The above and other objects and features of the invention including various novel combinations of parts'and desirable particularconstructions, will-he apparent "fronrthe following description of three illustrative embodiments of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: 7 Figure 1 is a side elevation of part automobile showing my. improved panel in, its assembled relation;

Figure 2 is a partial bottom'plan view of the panel and the front "bow of the top,

ot' an visor partly broken away;

if desired, and I prefer that Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2 showing the panel in vertical section;

Figure l is a view corresponding to Figure 2 but showing a modified form of panel;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of ignre 4t, and corres aonding to Figure 3, but showing tne second modification;

' Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Fig ures 3 and 5 but showing a third modification.

In the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the'top 10' of an automobile 12 is provided with a front bow M which normally comes just above and in front of the top of a windshield 16, which may hare a swingingup} per panel 18. The front how 14 is provided at its opposite sides with clamps 20 for re-- ceiving and holding the: ends of the side posts ofthe windshield 16. The. clamps 20 hold the top 10 and the windshield 16 secureiy together.

in order to provide a wind-tight joint between the top 10 and the top panel 18 of the windshield 16, my invention contem plates the use of an improved top visorpanel 22 which, in the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 comprises a metal piece Q lhent to provide a transverse channel or which may be ti led with cotton or other wedding Qdand which is encircled by an elastic fabric cover 28 which confines the -waddiiilg in place and which adds a finished appearance to the panel. The fabric 28 may he an imitation, leather matching the material of the top 10. The channel of the metal piece 9A comes innnediately above the concavity top edge of tliep-anel 18 of the windshield. 1

and is *anged so that the top edge of the windshield panel is forced into thechanneh tween the top how 14: and the-top of the 1am on 1;. M g. P. d mnosiiciu. the enainuuion oi laps an other obstructions also facilitates mounta windshield wipe on the top edge of the windshield as is highly desirable with many. types of wipers.

The panel shown in Figures d and 5 differs from that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 in that the piece 12ft, corresponding to the metal piece 2 is of wood fastened to the front bow 14: by screws 125 and channeled on its lower face to provide for the w-adding 2G. The panel is encircled by the fabric cover 28 as described above, and forms the same kind of joint with the top of the windshield.

The modified panel shown in Figure 6 is the same as the one shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 except-that the wadding 26 is omitted, and the elasticity of the fabric covering 28 is relied upon to secure a tight joint with the top of the windshield by its displace-- ment into the concave or channel portion of the metal piece 23-h ll hile several illustrative embodiments of my invention have been described in detail it is not 11 y intention to limit its scope to those particular embodiments or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A vehicle comprising, in combination, a top having a front bow, a windshield with its top edge adjacent said how, a substantially rigid visor member carried by the bow and extending over the top edge of the vindshield, and yielding means in the body of said visor compressed by the visor mber against the top edge of the windshield to provide a wintl-tight joint.

ii vehicle comprising, in combination, a top, a windshield, clamps for securing the top and 'indshield together at oppozite sides, and a substantially rigid and padded visor member carried by the top and compressed against the top edge of the windshield to provide a wind-tight joint and held under compression by said clamps.

A vehicle con'iprising, in combination, a top having a front bow, a windshield having its top edge adjacent said bow, a visor panel carried by the bow which has a transverse chznnel parallel to and immediately above the top edge of the wind- 7 l. a d 'elding packing material carby the visor panel and compressible channel by the top edge of the ,0 provide a wind-tight joint.

wi -idshi a top having '1 front bow, a windshield have adjacent said bow, a visor he bow and hzwing a i amediately above and op edge of the windshield, material secured in the channel rpressible aganst the top edge rich]. to provide a wind-tight cans for securing the top and the windshield together with the material e comprising, in combination,

compressed by the top ec ge of the windshield.

A vehicle comprising, in combination, a top having a front bow, a windshield arranged with its top edge adjacent said how, resilient visor panel carried by the how an? having a transverse channe x p21?" to and immediately above the top edge of the windshield, and yielding material coinpressible into the channel by the top edge of the windshield to provide a wind-tight joint.

top visor panel having a portion to be secure-ii to the front bow of a top and a transverse channel to be arranged above the top edge of a windshield, and a flexible cover surrounding the panel and displaceable into the channel by the top edge of a windshield.

7. A top visor panel having a portion to be secured to the front bow of a top and a transverse channel to be arranged above be top edge of a windshield, yielding maerial in said channel, and a flexible cover surrounding the panel and the yielding material to provide a finished appearance and hold the yielding material in the channel.

8. A top visor panel of sheet metal bent to have a portion to be secured to the front bow of a top and a transverse channel at the rear of said flat portion, yielding coinpressible material filling said channel, and a flexible cover encircling the panel and the yielding material to provide finished appearance and to hold the yielding material in the channel.

9. A top visor panel having a portion to be secured to the front bow of a top a1 d a transverse channel immediately at the r ar ot said flat portion, and an elastic fabric cover encircling the panel and dicalaceable into the channel by the top edge a windshield to provide a wind-tight oint therewith.

10. A vehicle comprising, in combination, top having a front bow, a windshield having a swinging upper panel with its axis near its top edge, a visor panel carried by the front bow and extending over the top edge of the swinging panel of the windshield and having a transverse channel immediately above said top edge, material yieldingly displaceable into said channel by the top edge of the swinging panel of the windshield vithout interfering substantially with swinging said windshield panel, and means for holding the top and windshield together.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HUGH J. MCGRAIL. 

